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| 1.1 Why are proteins important to us Proteins make up about 15% of the mass of the average person. Protein molecules are essential to us in an enormous variety of different ways. Much of the fabric of our body is constructed from protein molecules. Muscle, cartilage, ligaments, skin and hair - these are all mainly protein materials. In addition to these large scale structures that hold us together, smaller protein molecules play a vital role in keeping our body working properly. Haemoglobin, hormones (such as insulin, shown in Figure 2), antibodies , and enzymes are all examples of these less obvious proteins. Whether you are a vegetarian or a ’ meat eater’ you must have protein in your diet. The protein in the food we eat is our main source of the chemical building blocks we need to build our own protein molecules. |
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| Using this e_source This e_source has been developed with some interactive features. There is an interactive glossary which gives the definition of any words that highlighted in maroon in the text. The navigation bar at the top and bottom of each page will take you forward and backwards through the e_source. You can get back to the schoolscience.co.uk Home page using the home button or return to this page by clicking on the Start button. The Contents button will reveal the full linked contents of the e_source. The Find button will let you search for a word or phrase within the e_source or you can use the Index to find words. |
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| Teachers There is an exercise that you can do with students. It is on the teachers' page in pdf format. |
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